Department of Psychology

Audiogram of the common harbor seal in air (Phoca vitulina)

 

Data from:

Mohl, B. (1968) Auditory sensitivity of the common seal in air and water. Journal of Auditory Research, 8, 27-38.one animal

Kastak, D., and Schusterman, R.J. (1998) Low-frequency amphibious hearing in pinnipeds: Methods, measurements, noise, and ecology. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 103,2216-2228. one animal

 

Absolute thresholds (in dB re 2 µN/m2) for three common harbor seals in air (A through C as indicated above)

 

Frequency

(in kHz)

Individual Thresholds

(in dB)

 

Average

Mohl

Kastak & Schusterman

 

 

.100

65.4

 

65.4

.200

57.2

 

57.2

.400

52.9

 

52.9

.800

26.1

 

26.1

1

36

 

36

1.42

34

 

34

1.6

42.8

 

42.8

2

19

 

19

2.8

22

 

22

3.2

30.2

 

30.2

4

26

 

26

6.4

19.2

 

19.2

8

19

 

19

11.25

16

 

16

16

26

 

26

22.5

58

 

58

             

 

Lowest and highest frequencies audible at sound

pressure levels (SPL) ranging from 30 to 70 dB SPL

SPL

(in dB)

Lowest audible frequency (in kHz)

Highest audible frequency (in kHz)

70

.070*

60

.160

23

50

.460

20.5

40

.560

18.5

30

.720

16.9

*extrapolated value

 

Additional Parameters:

Body weight = 40 kg

Functional interaural distance= 378 µs

(Time required for sound to travel around the head from one auditory meatus to the other.)

 

Comments: Threshold values taken from Mohl, 1968, Kastak and Schusterman, 1998,

For additional thresholds for one individual, see Turnbull, S.D., and Terhune, J.M. (1990) White noise and pure tone masking of pure tone thresholds of a harbor seal listening in air and underwater. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 68, 2090-2097.

 

Audiogram of the common harbor seal in water (Phoca vitulina)

 

Frequency

(in kHz)

Individual Thresholds

(in dB)

 

Average

Mohl

Kastak & Schusterman

 

 

.075

40.3

 

40.3

.100

34.3

 

34.3

.200

22.2

 

22.2

.400

22.3

 

22.3

.800

18.2

 

18.2

1

20

 

20

1.6

5.5

 

5.5

2

11

 

11

4

4

 

4

6.4

1.2

 

1.2

8

3

 

3

16

0

 

0

32

-1

 

-1

45

8

 

8

64

42

 

42

90

56

 

56

128

61

 

61

180

69

 

69

             

 

Lowest and highest frequencies audible at sound

pressure levels (SPL) ranging from 30 to 70 dB SPL

SPL

(in dB)

Lowest audible frequency (in kHz)

Highest audible frequency (in kHz)

70

180

60

120

50

78

40

.075

62

30

.125

57

 

Additional Parameters:

Body weight = 40 kg

Functional interaural distance= 80 µs

(Time required for sound to travel around the head from one auditory meatus to the other in water.)

 

Comments: Threshold values taken from Mohl, 1968, Kastak and Schusterman, 1998. Values converted from a reference level of 1 microPascal. For additional thresholds for one individual, see Turnbull, S.D., and Terhune, J.M. (1990) White noise and pure tone masking of pure tone thresholds of a harbor seal listening in air and underwater. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 68, 2090-2097.

 

For a good discussion of air and water hearing, see Kastak, D., and Schusterman, R.J. (1998) Low-frequencyamphibious hearing in pinnipeds: Methods, measurements, noise, and ecology. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 103,2216-2

Last Updated: 6/27/22